IC-compatible silicon wafer-to-wafer bonding

In this paper a fully IC-compatible silicon wafer-to-wafer fusion-bonding process is described. Before the bonding, the silicon surfaces are treated by chemicals which do not attack the electronic circuits or aluminium patterns on the silicon. The prebonding of the two silicon wafers is performed at room temperature. after which bonding takes place through annealing at temperatures between 120 and 400°C without affecting the performance of the electronic circuitry. The bonding is sufficiently strong for microsensor applications.